The first storm of the Atlantic hurricane season has been named. Arthur was declared a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center Wednesday morning. Maximum sustained winds near the centre of the storm are estimated to be near 75 km/h. Arthur poses mostly a flooding risk for parts of the Gulf states. A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the coastal area between Sargent, Texas and Morgan City, La. The storm could end up bringing a potential rainfall of 125 to 250 mm. Localized amounts could be as high as 500 mm from the mid and upper Texas coast, southern and central portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and possibly western portions of Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. That would be from today through Friday. There is no expected impact from this weather system for the Maritime provinces. Rainy Thursday Night A non-tropical, but strong, low-pressure system will bring rain and showers to the Maritimes Thursday night. The centre of the system is moving out of the U.S. Midwest, where it brings a threat of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes on Wednesday, into the St. Lawrence River Valley Thursday. Western areas of New Brunswick can expect the first of the rain and showers Thursday afternoon. The remainder of the Maritimes will get into the wet weather Thursday evening and night. While the system doesn’t pack the same severe thunderstorm risk for the Maritimes, there is a chance of some small, embedded thunderstorms within the rain. That increases the risk there could be at least some localized downpours Thursday night. General rain amounts of 5-to-15 mm are expected for Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia – higher in the event of a thunderstorm. A general rainfall of 15-to-30 mm for New Brunswick, with some higher local amounts should downpours and thunderstorms be present. Low influences weather Friday and the weekend The centre of the low-pressure system will meander across New Brunswick and into the Gulf of St. Lawrence Friday into Saturday. Rain and showers are expected in New Brunswick Friday, with isolated showers for both Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Showers are likely to be present across a large portion of the Maritimes on Saturday. They will be scattered in coverage, but most communities can expect about a 60 per cent chance of a shower at some point during the day. The influence of the low weakens a bit for Sunday, Father’s Day. Temperatures will be cooler than average and there is a general 40 per cent chance of a shower through the day. Not the most auspicious start to the summer season, the summer solstice occurring at 3:24 a.m., Sunday.
